The Foreign Engine also known as the Big City Engine is a tender engine from the Big City.
Bio
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The Foreign Engine once stayed the night at Vicarstown with Gordon and Duck. The three engines were involved in an argument about the confusion between the mainline stations in London. Gordon remembered a trip to King's Cross in his youth, and believed that London was restricted to Kings Cross (LNER). Duck thought that London was Paddington (GWR), as he had once worked there. The Foreign Engine thought that London was Euston (LMS).
Unbeknownst to them, they were all correct, as there were a number of stations in London for different railway companies. Even so, Gordon and Duck still continued the argument when the engine went away. Because of this, Gordon was eager to find out, but he was most disappointed to discover when he visited London that the station he visited was St. Pancras. But Gordon did not realise that there is more than one station in London.
In 2010, he was mentioned in a story that Duke was telling Sir Handel and Peter Sam before he arrived on the Skarloey Railway. From what Duke had said, he didn't know his name but he was very rude indeed, but his name resembles Pioneer.
Later, when Spencer was complaining about Sodor, he remembered of his old railway. The next day, an engine came the next day and when Spencer asked his friend to pull a coal train. He refused and huffed away angrily leaving Spencer sulking and realizing the engines' plan.
Paxton the diesel shunter was listening to a story by Thomas and the other engines at Tidmouth Sheds one morning about their visit to the Big City. Paxton inspired by this wanted to go to the Big City, too. Surprisingly, Sir Topham Hatt let him visit the Big City that time and before leaving, Paxton told Bill and Ben that a new engine would replace him for a little while during his visit and to be nice to the visitor…
Later in the day after Paxton left, the engine arrived and Bill and Ben greeted him with a hello. The Foreign Engine, not amused huffed away quickly and was rude to the twins. Bill and Ben told Arthur about the engine who told Whiff who told Norman who told everyone at Tidmouth Sheds.
The next day, Paxton returned from the Big City. Gordon and Duck were talking to the engine before he left but a familiar line came out from the engine that "not until London becomes Euston" leaving in a huff causing Gordon and Duck to remember this engine from somewhere...
PersonaEdit
The Foreign Engine is rather pompous, conceited, and single minded. He is also very quarrelsome and thinks the engines from London are the best.
BasisEdit
The Foreign Engine is based on an original build LMS "Patriot" 4-6-0. As all the "Patriot" engines were scrapped, it can be assumed that he was as well. However, there is a project to build a new LMS Patriot, named "The Unknown Warrior".
LiveryEdit
The engine is painted BR brunswick green with red lining and grey wheels and cylinders. He presumably has a British Railways' crest on his tender.
AppearancesEdit
- Season 8: The Faulty Coupling (flashback; not named) and Sir Spencer of Sodor (not named)
- Season 11: Big City Rumor
- Season 13: Bert's Arlesdale Fail (cameo) and Sam I Am (cameo)
- Season 14: Henry Gets Stumped
- Season 15: The Maron Station Makeover (cameo)
Specials:
- Hiro's Origins (not named)
- Oliver's Eleven (cameo)
He also appeared in a discussion.
TriviaEdit
- In the Season 11 episode, Big City Rumor. A reference line from the Foreign Engine "not until London becomes Euston" was used from the Railway Series story, Gordon Goes Foreign by Keekre24/ThomasWoodenRailway which would explain why Gordon and Duck remembered the engine.
